Roastea's Recipe for Success: Quality, Innovation, & Partnerships Drive Growth

1) Can you tell us what factors led to Roastea's tremendous growth in the past year?

Roastea's remarkable growth in the past year can be attributed to several key factors. Firstly, the machine which is manufactured in house by Roastea is a unique machine with unique and consistent taste in tea and coffee which has NEVER been given by any other vending machine before. To optimise on that, the company invested in scalable, technologically advanced solutions that enabled them to improve their operations and enhance the customer experience. This allowed Roastea to serve more customers efficiently and effectively, leading to increased sales and revenue. In addition, Roastea focused on differentiating its products from competitors in the market. By conducting thorough market research, analysing consumer preferences and trends, and studying the strategies of competitors, Roastea was able to craft unique products like filter coffee and 5 types of tea from a SINGLE machine, with fully automated machines, giving consistent taste day after day, that appealed instantly to the customers seeking a high-quality, distinctive beverage experience. This strategy helped Roastea stand out in a crowded market and attract new customers. Moreover, the service quality of Roastea is near SIX SIGMA levels. By prioritizing quality and flavour, Roastea has been able to build a loyal customer base that values the company's expertise in crafting exceptional beverages. As Roastea continues to expand its presence across the country, this focus on quality and expertise will likely continue to be a key driver of its success. 

2) What challenges did Roastea face while expanding its presence across multiple cities in India?

Expanding a business across multiple cities in India comes with its own set of challenges, and Roastea was no exception. A big challenge was making the consumer “UNLEARN” his/her experience of having tea or coffee from a ‘machine” as compared to a home- made tea or coffee. Their experience of the taste of tea or coffee coming through a machine was bad due to the poor quality of products given by the existing beverage companies. The poor service levels and frequent breakdowns in the machines of the existing beverage providers only added to the poor experience. This perception had to be changed by giving free DEMOS and once the customer tasted the product of Roastea machines, he quickly forgot his/her earlier poor experience. Roastea machines have a long life, 0 breakdowns and minimal maintenance and automatic, leading to lowest manpower cost. One of the other initial challenges was operating with limited machines in a new city as it requires strict adherence to a minimal approach. A reduced marketing and service presence is necessary until an adequate number of machines is obtained. Without this, expanding the business becomes challenging. But Roastea tool a long-term view and whether it was 1 or 50 machines, Roastea gave the same service levels attracting and winning the hearts of the customers. Apart from this, penetrating a new brand in a city that already had an established market was another challenge that Roastea had to overcome. The competition was fierce, and the company had to come up with innovative marketing strategies to create brand awareness and attract customers. But the product and taste of the tea and coffee coming from Roastea machine, which is a never-before product made Roastea a much sought after brand. Despite these challenges, Roastea has successfully expanded its business in multiple cities. Our cold call to demo conversion ratio is 100% for demos to LOI is 80% , which indicates that its expansion efforts have been largely successful.

3) Can you tell us more about Roastea's partnerships with companies like Google, Barclays, and Tech Mahindra?

 Our working relationship with these companies can be characterized as more than just simple partnerships; they are robust collaborations where we act as their dedicated service providers, while they serve as our clients or potential clients. Rather than formal partnerships, we function more as beverage partners or service providers, offering top-of-the-line vending solutions to their valued employees. Our role is to ensure that their employees are provided with high-quality beverages, which is a critical part of maintaining a happy and productive workforce. 

4) What motivated Roastea to install IoT-enabled vending machines, and how have customers responded to them?

Our success can be attributed to a trifecta of growth, scalability, and transparency. IoT-enabled vending machines have helped us achieve transparency across all aspects of our business, from inventory to billing, which has enabled us to expand our reach and provide instant services. By utilizing cutting-edge technology, we can address issues with machines remotely, without requiring a physical presence. This technology not only ensures complete transparency for our clients but also facilitates data collection and enables us to provide instantaneous solutions. Furthermore, our operations are highly scalable, even with minimal manpower, which has greatly improved our profitability. Apart from this there are huge cost savings to both customer and us, with least human intervention and supervision and low maintenance. IoT also allows readily available MIS to the customer. 

5) What steps is Roastea taking to continue its growth trajectory?

Roastea is committed to maintaining its growth trajectory through a number of strategic steps. One of the key focuses is on ensuring proper pricing, which involves striking a balance between affordability and quality to ensure that customers continue to receive the best value for their money. Additionally, the company provides instantaneous service, which means customers can enjoy their drinks quickly and conveniently. Another important step in Roastea's growth strategy is investing in top-notch brewing technology. This ensures that the company can consistently produce high-quality drinks that meet the expectations of its discerning customers. Consistency in taste is also a top priority, as it helps to build customer loyalty and trust. Quality consistency, and service coupled with best prices is the mantra of Roastea. We pledge 100% service levels and a Turnaround time (TAT) of less than 1 hour, the best in the industry. With IOT penetration and 0 breakdowns, the acceptability and consequent expansion has become easy.

Finally, customer satisfaction is of utmost importance to Roastea. The company is constantly seeking feedback from its customers in order to improve its products and services. By listening to its customers and making the necessary adjustments, Roastea can ensure that its growth trajectory continues and that it remains a top player in the highly competitive beverage industry.